Rest + Self-Care

Rest? Self-care? What’s that, right? For me, it’s a learning process.

Baby steps.

I didn’t grow up learning that “rest” was a crucial aspect in living a healthy, vibrant life. Maybe you’re in the same boat. Exhausted. Going 90 miles per hour, just trying to keep your head above water.

But, when do we reach the end goal? What even IS the end goal that we are running toward?

Many of us don’t even realize what we are doing to ourselves day after day.

The wear. The tear. Staying busy as possible. Hiding in our work. Hiding from what? What are we trying to prove? Where are we going?

Everyone else has a different answer to that, but I am going to guess that most of us can relate to this general daily timeline in some form or fashion…

Wake up before the sun, rush through the morning routine, hustle and bustle, eat on the go, constant motion until well after the sun goes down, perhaps sink down on the couch for 15 minutes of Netflix (eyelids falling shut), scurry off to bed, and do it all again the next day. Right?

Is that REALLY how it is supposed to be every day? Are we finding any time to rest and enjoy life in between it all?

A few weeks ago, I was driving to yoga and I was so upset with myself for going to class in the middle of my workday. I was overwhelmed with guilt. “I should be working. I don’t have time to do this right now. The employees are at the kitchen. I should be there. No, I should be doing computer work. And what about planning our wedding that is 5 months away?”

I was sweating with frustration.

WHY? What’s with all of the guilt? Why is it such a big freakin’ deal to take an hour out of the day to give ourselves some time to do ANYTHING besides work or care for everyone else?

I realized things REALLY had to change. I needed a shift. Or ELSE… this would continue to be my NORMAL, making it more and more difficult to reverse.

There is no reason for any one of us to feel shame or guilt for giving ourselves the attention that we need on a daily basis.

· Waking up in the morning and my heart racing thinking of everything I need to get done.

· Not present. Body is there, mind is not.

· Tense + stiff body.

Can you relate? Your cues may be very different than mine, but I ENCOURAGE you to bring awareness to your body + mind.

Are YOU screaming at YOURSELF to slow down and make changes, but YOU aren’t listening?

GUYS…

There is no way to properly recharge our bodies and cells by sitting down in front of the television for 15 minutes at the end of the night. Oh yeah, and going to the beach for seven days once a year isn’t going to cut it either.

So, how do we even begin to reverse this cycle - this “new normal” of chaos?

I definitely go through ups and downs in regards to rest and self-care, but when I do make myself a priority, I feel pretty dang good, more organized, and everything else is just BETTER.

Start slow – pick a couple. Baby steps…

· Do LESS. Cut things out things that aren’t priority – we all do too much.

· Set a time each night to stop working and hustling. My time – 8 p.m.

· Eat food that adds health – clean protein, colorful vegetables, + healthy fats. P.S. If you don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen, find a fully prepared meal delivery business, like Simple Roots, in your area to help you save time and get the nutrients you need.

· Breathe. I am not an excellent “breather”, so I find it beneficial to take a few seconds and breathe deep when I feel myself breathing quickly or holding my breath. You can start with as little as 10 deep breaths a day.

· Meditate. If you need help, the Calm app is good.

· If you are spiritual, pray. I lean on God above all. If I didn’t, I.would.NOT.be.here. <3

· Practice self talk – TELL YOURSELF that you deserve to rest, play, and take time for yourself. Be kind to YOU.

· Screw the dirty house and SIT THE F DOWN. Why don’t humans know how to just BE?

· Sleep more

· Talk to and be with your loved ones. Protect your relationships.

· When you do these things, if you feel guilt about it, do them anyway. It is better than not doing them it at all. And you will get better about accepting that you need this time for yourself because you WILL see the benefits.

…Baby steps, K? Sometimes we have to slow down to move forward in EVERYTHING else. ;)